(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an espagnolette or espagnolette-lock for a door, French window or the like, comprising, accommodated in a central casing, a control mechanism designed so as to be capable of actuating at least one operating rod and including, springy means for automatically restoring the operating rod into its locking position, as well as manual control means. The control means is a tumbler actuated through a control handle, for ensuring the unlocking of this operating rod and resetting of the springy means. The invention further includes a locking device capable of maintaining the operating rod in its unlocked position upon opening of the leaf of the door, French window or the like. The invention also includes unlocking means capable of releasing the locking device when closing the leaf against the sash-frame, in order to allow the restoring of the operating rod into its locking position.
This invention will find its application in the field of the building iron-mongery and in particular relates to locking fittings.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
One should indeed note that there are already known espagnolettes or espagnolettes-locks meeting the above description. Such espagnolettes facilitate the locking of the door, French window or the like in that the operating rod or rods are automatically pushed back into their locking position under the action of springy restoring means the action of which is, released at the very moment at which the leaf is closed against the sash-frame. When unlocking and opening this leaf, the action performed by the user on a control handle results into bringing this or these operating rods into their unlocked position and in ensuring the resetting of the aforementioned springy means, while an adequate locking device simultaneously maintains the operating rod or rods in this unlocked position against the action of the spring which substantially forms the springy restoring means.
Finally, such an espagnolette also includes unlocking means which are capable of releasing the locking device when closing the leaf against the sash-frame, in order to allow the restoring of these operating rods into their locking position.
An espagnolette meeting this description is already known. In particular, the locking device consists of a locking pawl which is tiltingly fitted at the level of a face-plate which usually covers the various ogans of the espagnolette or espagnolette-lock at the front edge of the leaf. This locking pawl acts in the direction of moving of this leaf, so that, when opening the leaf, it automatically tilts towards the sash-frame, this under the action of a spring, whereas, when closing this leaf, the sash-frame is capable of pushing back this locking pawl against the spring.
One should note that such a locking pawl is extended, by a lever through which it is capable of maintaining the operating rod or rods in an unlocked position, this at the very moment at which the leaf is opened and, hence, as soon as this locking pawl could be released from the sash-frame.
Such a solution has the drawback that the release mechanism is dissociated from a locking organ of the espagnolette or espagnolette-lock. This results in non-synchronous actions between the release mechanism and, the spring-bolt, which is the first of these locking organs that enters into contact with a keeper of the sash-frame. Therefore, any one of these members can strike against an organ of the sash-frame, e.g. a keeper.
In addition, such a locking pawl must, alone and through its locking lever arranged inside the casing, act against the action of the springy restoring means restoring the operating rods into their locking position.